9 Things To Consider: Critical Business Financial Decisions

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article belong to an independent guest author and not Leaderonomics, its directors, affiliates, or employees. This is not financial or investment advice. Please do your own research and evaluate your risk appetite before investing.
 

In business, there are a lot of decisions to make. One of the most important is investing in something that will directly impact your bottom line. With so many factors at play, from revenue to return on investment (ROI), it can be challenging to know what assets you should pursue and which one might be a little riskier than others. For this reason, there are several things you’ll need to consider before making any financial decision related to your company’s future.
 
These questions can help you determine if your business calls will benefit your enterprise:

1. Has Something Changed?

Changes and improvements are an essential part of running any business. However, if your current operations aren’t yielding results the way you expect them to, it might be time to tweak some aspects of your company.
 
In some cases, you’d need to spend some money implementing new practices to improve your brand. For instance, if you need to hire additional staff due to staffing demands, you need to have enough budget to pay them.

Read more: What Is Change Management And Why Is It Important?

This will help you determine if your expenses are justified. This way, you can budget your funds more efficiently.

2. What Is The True Cost?

There are costs associated with whatever investment you make. For instance, if you wish to expand your production by buying additional equipment, you need to be prepared to spend a considerable amount. Thus, you need to ask yourself if you can afford them. That means you should be certain of where you’re going to get the money to pursue your plans. If you operate a business and require some sort of funding to move forward, you may need to look into other options that’ll help you financially.
 

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For example, you can look into a working capital loan when you need more funds to run your enterprise. However, you should check the other costs you may shoulder when applying for one. Some working capital loan interest rates for small business may be too high for you to pay back. Thus, you should determine if the total costs are worth it in the long run.

This may interest you: 20 Years On From Asian Financial Crisis – A Malaysian Perspective

3. Does It Fit Your Company Values?

One way to fund your business is by partnering with other entrepreneurs and investors. If you wish to grow your brand and need additional financial support, you can work with other individuals willing to invest in your company. Although it’s an excellent way to get the money you need to grow your enterprise, it can cost you in the future.

Read more: Values Do Matter! Find Out What Leaderonomics Value Statements Are…

Before you engage in any business transactions, it’s vital to know whether the actions you’ll take reflect your company values. For instance, if you’re running a sustainable company, getting investments from entrepreneurs who don’t advocate the same cause may only result in conflicts. Hence, it’s best to ask yourself whether your financial decisions align with your brand’s values and goals.

Supplementary reading: Living Our Values

4. How Will The Investment Affect Your Balance Sheet?

It’s still surprising how many companies don’t consider what will happen financially when investing in something new or updating their current technologies or infrastructure. If your balance sheet has a lot of debt, for example, then it might be risky to invest much into a new product or service that won’t bring in revenue right away. To decide what’s best, you have to consider everything from return on investment, the timing of those returns, and how they will impact your current liabilities.

This may interest you: The Art Of Investing

5. What Are The Risks?

All business decisions involve risks. This includes all financial calls you make for your company’s benefit. If you finalise a decision hastily, you may experience setbacks or income decline.

It would be best if you evaluate the risks whenever you’re making a big decision. For instance, if you plan on expanding your business and building a new store, you should study the pros and cons first. For one, you’ll shell out a considerable amount to fund your expansion. If you think it won’t return your investment within the period you predicted, it may not be advisable to push through with it. 
 
Of course, it’s helpful to keep in mind that all decisions concerning your company will pose risks, no matter how small. Hence, it’s vital to evaluate which ones you’re willing to take and which ones are not worth your time. 

Supplementary reading: A Visionary Leader: Risky Business

6. What Are The Opportunities?

This question helps you consider how your financial decisions will impact your revenue and bottom line. For example, if you’re investing in research and development (R&D) but there’s little likelihood that it will bring gains to your company, then maybe it’s not worth pursuing. However, if you can take what you discover through R&D and use it to bring about new products or services with a high ROI, then it might be something worth exploring further.
 
Considering the opportunities you’ll get in the future will help you decide whether a venture is worth pursuing. Furthermore, it’ll allow you to envision the growth you want for your company.

7. What Is The Competition Doing?

It may not always be possible, but learning what your competition is up to can help immensely when making important decisions for yourself. This way, you can see how the industry is evolving and determine your next steps. If there’s a lot of competition in an area you’re not currently involved with, it might be better to avoid spending money on it until you have more information or even get involved yourself if it seems like a good business decision.

Podcast break: Exploring The Nature of Competition

8. How Will It Affect Your Team?

As a business owner, you should also think about your employees when making important decisions. For instance, cutting down costs by changing your current operational practices may affect your team’s productivity. If you make a call without thinking about how it’ll affect the rest of your staff, you may experience more problems in the future.
 
If you need to make some changes that’ll affect your finances, it’s best to consider how it impacts your workforce. You can work around your funds and determine the best course of action to ensure the projects or protocols you’ll implement will benefit your enterprise and team members.

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Furthermore, you can discuss any important financial decisions with your finance department. They may provide you with useful insight into how you handle your money.

9. What Are The Alternatives?

Finally, it’s essential to consider the alternatives you have and how each choice will impact your business. For example, if you’re thinking of buying expensive new equipment for one department but an alternative solution costs less and doesn’t require extra training, then go with the latter instead. On the other hand, if you’re not satisfied with any of the options available to you, then start looking into what it would take to make a change or do some digging yourself to find out more information about what else is out there.

Conclusion

When you’re making a decision that’ll affect your finances, it’s essential to ask yourself these questions before making a final decision. Make sure that whatever you choose is scalable and won’t cost more than it makes. Try to do as much due diligence as possible to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
 
There are so many things to consider, so many things at play when trying to make paramount financial decisions. Even in Leaderonomics, we ensure the safety of our organisation and foolproof all the plans and ideas before running them. If you continue with the jumping headfirst attitude, you are not only risking the stability of your company but also jeopardising your employees and all the hard work that was cemented. Safeguarding your company does not mean you are fond of changes but rather just how much do the benefits outweigh the costs. What a fun and enlightening piece! Now, let me introduce you to our product Necole is a state of the art learning platform that curates personalised learning just for you. To find out more about necole, click here or email info@leaderonomics.com
 

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